If the Jewish people had been faithful to God, He would have protected them. But they had separated themselves from Him and rejected their only shield from evil ~ the Holy Spirit.

They had not studied the Scripture in order to learn more of God and His will for them. They had studied only for prophecies that could be understood to predict glory for Israel and that seemed to indicate how God despised all other nations.

They proudly boasted that the Messiah would come as a conquering king who would destroy his heathen enemies.